The Newseum is supposed to honor freedom of the press. But twice over the past year, the Newseum has banned reporters from covering Presidential candidates. The first incident happened when President Obama spoke at the Newseum in March 2012. The second incident came in June 2012 when Governor Romney appeared at the site.

In both cases, the Newseum had rented space to an organization known as the Business Roundtable, a group that demanded the Q&A session of their event be inaccessible to reporters. The Newseum complied, forcing reporters from the room. Newseum officials say that private rentals get to control access to their events. That would certainly be the case if the Business Roundtable hosted an event on their own property. But this is the Newseum. The Newseum gets to set its own rental policies. And the Newseum, of all places, should be promoting press access instead of limiting it.

This petition demands the Newseum change its policies/contracts/agreements so that any group renting space and hosting a Presidential candidate or President of the United States must allow press access at the event, from start to finish.

Letter to

Chairman, NewseumPeter S. Prichard

Vice Chairman, NewseumShelby Coffey

Vice President of Exhibits, Programs and Media Relations, NewseumCathy Trost

and 1 other

Manager of Media, NewseumJonathan Thompson

I just signed the following petition addressed to: All journalists and news consumers.

----------------Demand the Newseum in Washington, D.C. change its rental policies.

The Newseum is supposed to honor freedom of the press. But twice over the past year, the Newseum has banned reporters from covering Presidential candidates. The first incident happened when President Obama spoke at the Newseum in March 2012. The second incident came in June 2012 when Governor Romney appeared at the site. In both cases, the Newseum had rented space to an organization known as the Business Roundtable, a group that demanded the Q&A session of their event be inaccessible to reporters. The Newseum complied, forcing reporters from the room. Newseum officials say that private rentals get to control access to their events. That would certainly be the case if the Business Roundtable hosted an event on their own property. But this is the Newseum. The Newseum gets to set its own rental policies. And the Newseum, of all places, should be promoting press access instead of limiting it. This petition demands the Newseum change it's policies/contracts/agreements so that any group renting space and hosting a Presidential candidate or President of the United States must allow press access at the event, from start to finish.